News/Press

EU4Business was well represented at the OECD policy seminar in Minsk, which aimed to help Belarus successfully implement its SME strategy.
Belarus Government presents draft SME strategy, including measures to improve business environment
Belarus
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03/07/2017
The Ministry of Economy of Belarus presented its draft SME strategy at an international seminar in Minsk on 27 June. The strategy to 2030 includes proposals to improve the business environment. The Ministry of Economy also identified reform priorities in the areas of innovation, investment and export promotion. Advice from EU and EaP countries The two-day seminar, “SME strategy for Belarus:...
The first Steering Group meeting for the Mayors for Economic Growth project was held in Kiev.
Over 100 cities have joined the Mayors for Economic Growth project
28/06/2017
A signing ceremony for 20 Ukrainian cities in Kiev on 20 June brought the number of local authorities in Eastern Partnership countries joining the Mayors for Economic Growth (M4EG) initiative to over 100. The signing ceremony took place during the first Steering Group meeting for M4EG, held in Kiev City Hall, attended by representatives of national governments, as well as associations of local...
Over 10,000 new jobs have been created in SMEs in projects under the EU4Business initiative.
Over 103,000 jobs created or supported in SMEs thanks to EU4Business – Consolidated Report
27/06/2017
EU4Business projects have created more than 10,000 new jobs since the initiative launched in 2009, according to a Consolidated Report of its activities. The Report, presented to the 1st EU4Business General Assembly in Brussels on 17 May, says a further 93,000 jobs in SMEs have been supported by business advice under the initiative. Further achievements From 2009 to 2016, other impressive results...
The regional position paper was endorsed at the final conference of the East Invest 2 project, held in Kiev on June 21.
Business associations table key recommendations to improve business climate for SMEs
26/06/2017
A Regional Position Paper as a contribution by the East Invest 2 project to the Eastern Partnership Business Forum in Tallinn this October contains a series of broad-ranging recommendations to improve the business climate for SMEs. The regional position paper, endorsed at the final East Invest 2 project conference in Kiev on 21 June, was drafted with the input of around 200 business associations...
Report assessing the business climate in Azerbaijan published
23/06/2017
The EU Business Climate Report 2017 was launched during the recent EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum on 8 June 2017. The survey aims to assess the current conditions for doing business in Azerbaijan, highlighting key reform achievements and remaining bottlenecks. Improvements made but economy still weak Despite notable improvements in the EU businesses' perception of the economic situation over the...
Evening cityscape of Tbilisi © European Commission
Site on Georgia’s DCFTA launched
Georgia
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23/06/2017
Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and EU Ambassador Janos Herman jointly launched a new information portal on all DCFTA related matters. The site is hosted by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. It was developed with the support of the EU–GIZ Project ‘SME Development and DCFTA in Georgia’. The website is online since June 19th and provides detailed information on all...
Participants at the East Invest 2 Annual Partner Conference 2017
Private sector business organisations from Eastern Partnership countries demand better business climate for SMEs
22/06/2017
21 June 2017, Kiev More than 100 business support organisations (BSOs) representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and the EU Member States gathered in Kiev today for the final conference of the EU funded East Invest project. Participants discussed private sector's engagement in policymaking across the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries and showcased East Invest...
Strengthening economic and trade ties between EU and Azerbaijan
13/06/2017
Over 500 representatives of business and government attended the EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum in Baku on 8 June. The forum was organised by the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan, in cooperation with the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) and the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce. It aimed at increasing networking and contacts between EU and Azerbaijan companies, and...
Statue in Ukraine
EBRD opens regional office for southern Ukraine in Odessa
Ukraine
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09/06/2017
Joint outreach with EU4Business Initiative to support local SMEs Strengthening and deepening its outreach in Ukraine , the EBRD has opened a new regional office in the southern city of Odessa, the country’s naval gateway on the shores of the Black Sea and one of its most important industrial centres. The Odessa office is the EBRD’s third representation outside the capital, Kiev, and will serve as...
Participants at the Unleash The Future forum in Yerevan on 30 May.
‘Unleash The Future’ event in Armenia unites generations of tech, science and business people
07/06/2017
Over 200 representatives of the Armenian tech and science community gathered for the Unleash The Future forum in Yerevan on 30 May. The event was organised by SmartGateVC in cooperation with the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) , and with the support of EU4Business and EU4Innovation. The aim of the forum was to link different generations of Armenian entrepreneurs and...